Protective garment

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to protective garments. In one embodiment, a protective garment comprises an apron, a first leg protector, a second leg protector, a pouch, and a fastener. The apron covers the lower abdominal region of a person and has a top edge, a front surface, a back surface, and a waist attachment means configured to releasably securing the apron to the waist of the person. The first and second leg protectors extend from the apron, each having at least one leg attachment means configured to releasably securing the first and second leg protectors to first and second legs of the person. The pouch has a flap and a back portion attached to the top edge of the apron and can be used to store rolled-up apron and first and second leg protectors by attaching the flap to the back portion using the fastener.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention are related to protective garments, and, in particular, to garments that protect a person's waders, pants, or legs.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, the number of people engaging in water-related activities such as fishing, water gardening, and off-road riding has increased. In order to stay dry and comfortable during these activities, many people wear waders, which are a waterproof garment consisting of pants with attached boots that cover a person's legs and feet and can even extend to cover the person's hips and chest. In order to maximize a person's freedom of movement while wearing waders during these activities, waders are typically made of thin, light-weight, waterproof materials including vulcanized rubber, plasticized polyvinyl chloride, neoprene, and waterproof breathable fabrics.

However, many water-related activities include walking or hiking through dense foliage to reach a watery destination, and because waders are often made of thin light-weight materials, the waders can be torn on thistles, branches, and foliage. A person can remove the waders and risk tearing his/her pants or scratching his/her legs only to put the waders back on at the watery destination, or the person can leave the waders on and risk tearing the waders. It is often the case, however, that most tears in waders that are obtained from walking or hiking through dense foliage may be too small to be readily observed and go unnoticed until after the person is engaged in the water-related activity. As a result, the person may have to stop the activity to search for tears in the waders, or the lower portion of the waders may slowly fill with enough water to hinder the person's movements and place the person at risk of falling and in some cases drowning. People who engage in water-related activities have recognized a need for a device that can protect waders, pants, and/or a person's legs from damaged or scratched during certain water-related or outdoor activities.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to protective garments that can be used to protect waders, pants, and person's legs from damage during water-related or other outdoor activities. In one embodiment, a protective garment comprises an apron, a first leg protector, a second leg protector, a pouch, and at least one releasable fastener. The apron covers the lower abdominal region of a person and has a top edge, a front surface, a back surface, and a waist attachment means configured to releasably securing the apron to the waist of the person. The first leg protector extends from the apron and has at least one leg attachment means configured to releasably securing the first leg protector to a first leg of the person. The second leg protector extends from the apron and has at least one leg attachment means configured to releasably securing the second leg protector to a second leg of the person. The pouch has a flap and a back portion attached to the top edge of the apron. The at least one releasable fastener has a first fastener portion attached to the back portion of the pouch and a second fastener portion attached to the flap, wherein the apron and first and second leg protectors can be rolled-up and stored within the pouch by attaching the first fastener portion to the second fastener portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a protective garment in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A-2B show front and back views of the protective garment, shown in FIG. 1, attached to a person in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A-3C show enlargements of front, interior, and back views, respectively, of a pouch of the protective garment shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4A shows a first leg protector, a second leg protector, and an apron of a protective garment, shown in FIG. 1, rolled-up in an unclosed pouch of the protective garment in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4B shows a first leg protector, a second leg protector, and an apron of a protective garment, shown in FIG. 1, rolled-up and stored in a closed pouch of a protective garment in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a view of the protective garment worn by the person, shown in FIG. 2, rolled up and stored in a pouch that is attached to the waist of the person in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to protective garments that may be used to protect waders, pants, and legs from being torn or scratched. In particular, protective garment embodiments of the present invention include an apron and two leg protectors that may protect a person's waders or pants from tearing, or the person's legs from being scratch, when the person is hiking or walking through shrubs, bushes, trees, and foliage. Protective garment embodiments of the present invention also include a pouch attached to the apron and configured to store the leg protectors and the apron around a person's waist when the protective garment is not in use.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a protective garment 100 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Protective garment 100 includes an apron 102, a first leg protector 104, a second leg protect 106, a pouch 108, and four releasable snap fasteners represented by caps 110-113 located near the bottom edge of a flap 114 of pouch 108. Apron 102 can be releasably secured to the waist of a person by a waist attachment means comprising a first strap 116 and a second strap 118 attached to opposing outside edges 120 and 122, respectively, and a fastener that fastens first strap 116 to second strap 118 around the waist of the person. The fastener can be a side release buckle with two separate portions that are attached to straps 116 and 118. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a female end 124 of the side release buckle is attached to first strap 116, and a male end 126 of the same side release buckle is attached to second strap 118. Leg protectors 104 and 106 can be releasably secured to the legs of the person using leg attachment means that are similarly configured to the waist attachment means. For example, first leg protector 104 includes two nearly identically configured leg attachment means that can be used to releasably secure first leg protector 104 to the right leg of a person. The first of the two leg attachment means includes a strap 128 attached to outside edge 120 and a strap 130 attached to an inside edge 132 of first leg protector 104. A female end 134 of a side release buckle is attached to strap 128, and a male end 136 of the same side release buckle is attached to strap 130. The second of the two leg attachment means is located near the bottom of first leg protector 104. Second leg protector 106 also includes two nearly identically configured leg attachment means that, like the leg attachment means used to releasably secure first leg protector 104 to the right of the person, can be used to releasably secure second leg protector 106 to the left leg of the person. Additional snap

In various embodiments of the present invention, protective garment 100 may have a waterproof or water repellant front surface and may be fabricated from canvas, nylon, rip-stop nylon, or any other suitable durable fabric that resists tearing. Attachment means straps, such as straps 116, 118, 128, and 130, can be nylon straps. The waist and leg attachment means are not limited to using side release buckles as fasteners. In other embodiments of the present invention, center release buckles, cam buckles, ladder lock buckles, snap hooks and loops, hook-and-loop fasteners, and rope can be used to attach protective garment 100 to a person's waist and legs.

FIGS. 2A-2B show front and back views of protective garment 100 attached to a person in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows a front view of protective garment 100 attached to a person and worn over a portion of the front surface of waders 200. Apron 102 and leg protectors 104 and 106 cover the lower abdominal region and front leg surfaces of waders 200. FIG. 2B shows a back view of protective garment 100 attached to the person. Apron 102 is positioned to cover the lower abdominal region of waders 200, as shown in FIG. 2A, by inserting male end 126 of the side release buckle into female end 124 of the same side release buckle. First leg protector 104 is positioned to cover the front surface of the right leg, as shown in FIG. 2A, by inserting male end 136 of the side release buckle into female end 134 of the same side release buckle. As shown in FIG. 2B, the remaining three attachment means are used to releasably secure leg protectors 104 and 106 to the front portions of the right and left legs, respectively.

FIGS. 3A-3C show enlargements of front, interior, and back views, respectively, of pouch 108 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 3A shows a front view of the outer surface of pouch 108. Pouch 108 includes flap 114 that is configured to cover a top portion of apron 102. Caps 110-113 located near the bottom edge of flap 114 are connected to four snap fastener sockets (not shown) that are located on the inner surface of flap 114. FIG. 3B shows flap 114 lifted up to reveal an interior view of pouch 108. As shown in FIG. 3B, a bottom edge of a back portion 302 of pouch 108 is attached to a top edge of apron 102 along a seam 304. FIG. 3B also reveals four sockets 306-309 connected through flap 114 to caps 110-113, respectively, and four flat-bottom posts 312-315 connected through back portion 302 of pouch 108 to four studs (not shown) located on the back surface of back portion 302 of pouch 108. FIG. 3C shows a back view of pouch 108. Four studs 316-319 are secured to back portion of pouch 108 by flat-bottom posts 312-315, respectively.

Studs 316-319 and sockets 306-309 are positioned so that studs 316-319 can be inserted into sockets 306-309, respectively, when apron 102 and leg protectors 104 and 106 are rolled-up and stuffed into pouch 108. FIG. 4A shows apron 102 and leg protectors 104 and 106 rolled-up and stuffed into unclosed pouch 108 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 4B shows rolled-up apron 102 and leg protectors 104 and 106 stored within pouch 108 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Pouch 108 is closed by inserting studs 316-319 into corresponding sockets 306-309.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to using four snap fasteners to close pouch 108. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention, the number of snap fasteners can range from one to ten or more to close pouch 108. Also, in other embodiments of the present invention, pouch 108 can be closed using any one of a number of different types of suitable fasteners. For example, fasteners for pouch 108 can be hook-and-loop fasteners in which a hook surface can be attached to the inner surface of flap 114 and a loop surface can be attached to the back surface of back portion 302 of pouch 108, which can be closed by pressing the hook surface against the loop surface; a zipper having a first strip of teeth attached to the back surface of back portion 302 of pouch 108, and a second strip of teeth attached to the edge of flap 114 can be used to close pouch 108; a first rope attached to the back surface of back portion 302 of pouch 108 and a second rope attached to the edge of flap 114 can be tied together to close pouch 108; and at least one attachments means comprising a first strap attached to the back surface of back portion 302 of pouch 108, a second strap attached to the edge of flap 114, and a buckle configured to fasten the first and second straps to close pouch 108.

Leg protectors 104 and 106 and apron 102 of protective garment 100 can be rolled-up and stored in pouch 108 without disconnecting the waist attachment means that attaches apron 102 to the waist of a person. This can be accomplished by releasing the leg attachment means from the legs of the person, rolling-up leg protectors 104 and 106 and apron 102 toward pouch 108, stuffing rolled-up leg protectors 104 and 106 and apron 102 into pouch 108, and closing pouch 108 by inserting studs 316-319 into corresponding sockets 306-309. FIG. 5 shows a front view of the protective garment 100 worn by the person, shown in FIG. 2, rolled up and stored in pouch 108 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

In other embodiments of the present invention, fasteners can be included on the front of the apron in order to prevent flap 114 from flapping when protective garment 100 is in use. For example, four or fewer studs can be attached and positioned on the front surface of apron 102 and can be inserted into sockets 306-309 in order to secure flap 114 when protective garment 100 is in use.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive of or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments are shown and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents: 

1. A protective garment comprising: an apron having a top edge, a front surface, a back portion, and a waist attachment means configured to releasably secure the apron to the waist of a person; a first leg protector extending from the apron and having at least one leg attachment means configured to releasably secure the first leg protector to a first leg of the person; a second leg protector extending from the apron and having at least one leg attachment means configured to releasably secure the second leg protector to a second leg of the person; a pouch having a flap and a back portion with an edge attached to the top edge of the apron; and at least one releasable fastener having a first fastener portion attached to the back portion of the pouch and a second fastener portion attached to the flap, wherein the apron and first and second leg protectors can be rolled-up and stored within the pouch by attaching the first fastener portion to the second fastener portion.
 2. The garment of claim 1 wherein the apron, first and second leg protectors, and pouch further comprise one of: water repellant canvas; waterproof canvas; nylon fabric; rip-stop nylon fabric; and any durable fabric that resists tearing.
 3. The garment of claim 1 wherein the waist and leg attachment means further comprise: a first strap attached to a side of the protective garment; a second strap attached to an opposite side of the protective garment; and a fastening system for fastening the first and second strap together.
 4. The garment of claim 3 wherein the fastening system further comprises one of: a side release buckle; a center release buckle; a cam buckle; a ladder lock buckle; a snap hook attached to the first strap and a loop attached to the second strap; a loop hooked to the first strap and dual hook and loop fasteners attached to the second strap; and a hook-and-loop fastener.
 5. The garment of claim 1 wherein the at least one releasable fastener further comprises a hook-and-loop fastener having a hook strip attached to the flap and a loop strip attached to the back portion of the pouch.
 6. The garment of claim 1 wherein the at least one releasable fastener further comprises closing a snap having a stud attached to the back portion of the pouch, and a socket attached to the flap.
 7. The garment of claim 1 wherein the at least one releasable fastener further comprises a zipper having a first strip of teeth attached to the back portion of the pouch and a second strip of teeth attached to the edge of the flap.
 8. The garment of claim 1 wherein the at least one releasable fastener further comprises a first piece of rope attached to the back portion of the apron and a second piece of rope attached to the flap, wherein the first and second pieces of rope tied together attaches the flap to the back portion of the pouch.
 9. The garment of claim 1 wherein the at least one releasable fastener further comprises a first strap attached to the back portion of the apron, a second strap attached to the inner surface of the pouch, and a buckle configured to fasten the first and second strap together.
 10. The garment of claim 1 further comprises at least one releasable fastener attached to the front surface of the apron and capable of fastening to the second fastener portion attached to the flap so that the flap can be secured to the apron when the protective garment is in use.
 11. A method of storing a protective garment, the method comprising: providing a protective garment having an apron with a waist attachment means, a first leg protector with at least one leg attachment means, a second leg protector with at least one leg attachment means, and a pouch with a flap and a back portion attached to a top surface of the apron; rolling-up the apron and the leg protectors toward the pouch; stuffing the rolled-up leg protectors and the apron into the pouch; and securing the rolled-up leg protectors and the apron in the pouch by attaching the flap to the back portion of the pouch via at least one releasable fastener.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the apron, first and second leg protectors, and pouch further comprise one of: water repellant canvas; waterproof canvas; nylon fabric; rip-stop nylon fabric; and any durable fabric that resists tearing.
 13. The method of claim 11 wherein the waist and leg attachment means further comprise: a first waist strap attached to a side of the protective garment; a second waist strap attached to an opposite side of the protective garment; and a fastening system for fastening the first and second strap together.
 14. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one releasable fastener further comprises a hook-and-loop fastener having a hook strip attached to the flap and a loop strip attached to back portion of the pouch.
 15. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one releasable fastener further comprises closing a snap having a stud attached to the back portion of the pouch, and a socket attached to the flap.
 16. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one releasable fastener further comprises a zipper having a first strip of teeth attached to the back portion of the pouch and a second strip of teeth attached to the edge of the flap.
 17. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one releasable fastener further comprises a first piece of rope attached to the back portion of the apron and a second piece of rope attached to the flap, wherein the first and second pieces of rope tied together attaches the flap to the back portion of the pouch.
 18. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one releasable fastener further comprises a first strap attached to the back portion of the apron, a second strap attached to the inner surface of the pouch, and a buckle configured to fasten the first and second strap together. 